Mechanism for the connection of a dummy bar with its head

ABSTRACT

A mechanism for the connection of a dummy bar with its head is intended for continuous metal casting machines having a basket with an opening in its bottom part for the reception of a cut ingot, said opening being sufficient for the passage of the dummy bar. The mechanism for gripping a shank of the dummy bar head has grippers secured on the upper face of said dummy bar and made with chamfers on their upper portion of the outer side surface; besides, there is a ring with a taper portion on the lower part of the inner side surface, which matches the chamfers of the grippers, said ring being set on the abovementioned portion of the outer side surface, while the dummy bar head is provided with a circular groove on the lower face portion, the sizes of said groove corresponding to the sizes of said ring fitting into the groove.

United States Patent 1191 Molochnikov et al.

1451 July 16, 1974 Primary Examiner-Thomas H. Eager Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Waters, Roditi, Schwartz & Nissen 1 [5 7 ABSTRACT A mechanism for the connection of a dummy bar with its head is intended for continuous metal casting machines having a basket withan opening in its bottom part for the reception of acu't ingot, said opening being sufficjient for the passage of the dummy bar. The mechanism for gripping a shank of the dummy bar head has grippers secured on the upper face of said dummy bar and made with chamfers on their upper portionof the outer side surface; besides, there is a ring with-a taper portion on the lower part of the inner side surface, which matches the chamfers of the grippers, said ring being set on the abovementioned portion of the outer side surface, while the dummy bar head is provided with a circular groove on, the lower face portion, the sizes of said groove corresponding to the sizes of said ring fitting into the groove.

1 Claim, 2 Drawing Figures MECHANISM FOR THE CONNECTION OF A DUMMY BAR WITH ITS HEAD [76] Inventors: Nikolai Vladimirovich Molochnikov, Prospekt Mira, 103, kv. 227; Abram Khaimovich Charny, izmailovsky bulvar, 46/30, kv. 6; Vladimir Al exandrovich Prokhorov, Kuskovskaya ulitsa, 67, korpus .4, V kv. 54, all of Moscow, USSR. [22] Filed: Apr. 30,1973

[21] Appl. No.: 355,965

[52] US. Cl. 29/200 R [51] B23p 19/00 [58] 29/200 R, 200 B, 200 P, 29/200 J [56'] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,713,574 1/1973 Lewis 29/200 R 4- |1| a4 4 5 1' I ,1 Im

The present invention relates to mechanisms connecting a dummy bar with its head and provided in continuous metal casting machines wherein there is a crate for the reception of a cut ingot, said crate having an opening in its bottom part, sufficient for the passage of the dummy bar, and an arrangement, e.g., lugs, for holding the ingot in said crate.

Known in the art is a gripper mechanism forthe connection of the dummy bar with a shank of its head. The grippers of this mechanism are hinged on a horizontal axle passing through openings in ears provided on the upper face of said dummy bar. Said grippers are actuated by a rod passing through the dummy bar body and resting against some stop by its lower face portion.

However, the production of the dummy bar with a channel along its longitudinal axis for thepassage of the rod actuating a gripper lock is fraught with considerable difficulties. Besides, to operate, the lock needs some rest for the above rod.

Recently, a device was proposed for the reception of cut ingots, fashioned as a crate with an opening in its bottom part, said opening being sufficient for the passage of a dummy bar, and provided with lugs partly overlapping said opening.Said lugs in the bottom part of the crate are intended for holding a cut ingot; for that purpose they have grooves on the outer side surfaces of the dummy bar.

ln that case, the dummy bar passes unimpeded upward through the opening in the crate bottom, receives the cut ingot on its upper face and lowers it smoothly onto the crate lugs without jerks. This helps prolong the service life of the device. a e

However,.the known gripper mechanism with the rod in the dummy bar cannot operate if combined with a reception crate devoid of bottom. The lack of a mechanism fit for operation under new conditions causes difficulties in running a continuous metal casting machine.

lt is an object of the present invention to provide a mechanism for the connection of a dummy bar with its head, as would ensure the operation of a continuous metal casting machine provided with a crate for the reception of cut ingots, said crate arranged with an opening in its bottom part for the passage of the dummy bar and with lugs for holding the dummy bar head and the ingot.

This and other objects of the invention are achieved by providing a mechanism for the connection of a dummy bar with its head in a continuous metal casting machine having a crate for the reception of cut ingots, with an opening in its bottom part, which is sufiicient for thepassage of a dummy bar, and grippers hinged on the upper face of said dummy bar and engaging the head shank, wherein, according to the invention, there is a groove around the shank of the head on its lower face portion, designed to accomodate a ring with its taper portion on the lower part of the inner side surface, said taper portion matching chamfers made on the upper portions of the abovegrippers.

. Such mechanism can be utilized in continuous metal casting machines provided with a crate having an opening in its bottom for the reception of cut ingots.

The invention will be more apparent from the following description of an exemplary embodiment of the in- 2 vention, reference being had to appended drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 shows a mechanism of the invention, a vertical section along a longitudinal axis with partial cutaways; and

FIG. 2 shows a section ll-ll of FIG. 1.

A mechanism for the connection of a dummy bar 1 (FIGS. 1 and 2) with its head 2 is intended for a continuous metal casting machine (not shown in the drawings). In such machine there is a crate 4 with an opening 5 in its bottom portion for the reception of a ,cut ingot 3, said opening being sufficient for the passage of the above dummy bar 1, and with lugs 6 for holding the head 2 of the dummy bar 1 and the cut ingot 3.

The head 2 of the dummy bar 1 has on its lower face a shank 7 and a circular groove 8 accomodating a ring 9 set on grippers 10 to keep them engaged with the shank 7 of the head 2 of the dummy bar 1.

The lower portion of the inner side surface of the ring 9 ismade tapered broadening downward. This broadening matches the chamfers of the grippers 10, which are made on their upper portion of the outer side surface. r i

The grippers 10 are hinged on an axle 11 secured horizontally in the holes of cars 12 on the upper face of the dummy bar 1.

The mechanism is operated as follows. For the con nection of the head 2 with the dummy bar 1, the ring 9 is inserted into the circular groove 8 of the head 2 of the dummy bar 1 and the shank 7 is passed through between the grippers 10 of the dummy bar 1 so as to ensure their engagement which is fixed by the ring 9 lowered (set) onto the upper portion of said grippers l0. Thereafter, the dummy bar 1 can be moved upward for insertion into the machine crystallizer and then downward for drawing out an ingot as it is being formed.

With the cut ingot 3 the dummy bar I is lowered to passthrough the opening 5 in the bottom portion of the crate4. The ring 9 comes in contact with the lugs 6 and enters into the circular groove 8 of the head .2, the latter also resting against said lugs 6 of the crate 4. As the dummy bar passes through the opening 5 in the bottom of the crate 4 and escapes from the ring 9, the grippers 10 get opened to release the shank 7 of the head 2. This is also assisted by the chamfers provided on the lower portion of the side surface of the lugs 6 of the crate 4.

Thus the head 2 disengages from the dummy bar 1. For reception of another ingot 3, it is necessary to elevate the dummy bar 1 which is lowered beneath the bottom of the crate 4. r

The grippers It) opened to the size of the lower portion of the shank Tare in touch with the chamfers of the lugs 6 of the crate 4, draw together and enter into the crate 4. The dummy bar goes up to contact, by the upper. faces of the ears 12, with the lower face of the ingot 3 being cut. The head and the ring 9 are employed only in the beginning of the casting operation.

Vertical travel of the dummy bar 1 is repeated as ingots 3 are being cut off.

the ingot, said mechanism comprising: ears on the upper face of said dummy bar; a horizontal axle selower part of the inner side surface, said taper portion matching said chamfers of the-above grippers on which the ring is set; a circular groove made around-said shank on the lower face portion of said dummy bar head and sufficient for said ring to fit therein. 

1. A mechanism for the connection of a dummy bar with its head in a continuous metal casting machine which has a crate for the reception of a cut ingot, said crate being made with an opening in its bottom portion, sufficient for the passage of the dummy bar and holding the ingot, said mechanism comprising: ears on the upper face of said dummy bar; a horizoNtal axle secured in said ears of the dummy bar; grippers hinged on said axle to engage a shank of said head of the dummy bar and having chamfers on the upper portions of the outer side surface; a ring having a taper portion on the lower part of the inner side surface, said taper portion matching said chamfers of the above grippers on which the ring is set; a circular groove made around said shank on the lower face portion of said dummy bar head and sufficient for said ring to fit therein. 